Rabada banned for Stokes send-off

South Africa pace prodigy to sit out second Test for uttering an 'audible obscenity' at England allrounder

AFP
08 July 2017

South Africa fast bowler Kagiso Rabada will miss next week's second Test against England after his verbal abuse of Ben Stokes during the series opener at Lord's, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced Friday.

Rabada, 22, uttered an audible obscenity after dismissing all-rounder Stokes on the first day of the first Test on Thursday, his latest offence triggering a one-Test ban.

"South Africa's Kagiso Rabada has been suspended for next week's Trent Bridge Test after his accumulated demerit points reached four within a 24-month period following his latest breach of the ICC code of Conduct for which he received a 15 percent fine and one demerit point," said a statement issued by the global governing body.

The paceman will now play no part in the second Test of a four-match series at Nottingham's Trent Bridge starting a week on Friday.

An ICC statement said Rabada had "used inappropriate language after dismissing England batsman Ben Stokes, which was audible over the stump microphones and also resulted in the batsman to turn before walking off the field".

It added: "During the opening day's play in the Lord's Test against England on Thursday, Rabada was found guilty of ... 'using language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batsman upon his/her dismissal during an international match'."

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The ICC said Rabada had admitted the offence on Friday and accepted the sanction proposed by match referee Jeff Crowe, the former New Zealand captain.

Rabada, one of the rising stars of world cricket, having taken 71 wickets in just 17 Tests prior to this match, was already on thin ice after an on-field physical clash with Sri Lanka's Niroshan Dickwella during a one-day international in Cape Town in February.

That incident saw both players fined and have three demerit points added to their disciplinary records.

The pair were warned then that if they reached four or more demerit points within a 24-month period, those would be converted into suspension points which would see them banned from their country's next international in whatever format at the time of a subsequent offence.

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Nightwatchman Rabada ended the second day's play nine not out in South Africa's 5-214, a deficit of 244 runs after England made 458 in a first innings where he took three for 123 in 28 overs.

Rabada's absence is set to be a big blow to the Proteas, with all-rounder Chris Morris a candidate to replace him at Trent Bridge.

The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Cricket Australia.